Pages

Thursday, April 30, 2015

It's official, French President François Hollande Will go to Doha next Monday to oversee the signature of a deal estimated at € 6.3 billion for 24 aircrafts (and 12 options), weapons and pilot training in France.

Qatar had been actively negociating with France for 2 years and the decision would have been finaly taken by Cheikh Tamim ben Hamad Al Thani on April 21st during the last visit of French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian in Qatar.

Saint-Cloud, France, April 30, 2015 - Dassault Aviation is honored by Qatar’s decision to acquire 24 Rafale aircraft to equip its Air Force. The contract between the State of Qatar and Dassault Aviation is to
be signed on Monday, May 4 in Doha in the presence of Mr. François
Hollande, President of the French Republic. Following on from the Mirage F1, the Alpha Jet and the Mirage 2000,
the Rafale is set to extend the historic partnership between Qatar,
France and Dassault Aviation.

“This new success for the French team demonstrates the Rafale’s
operational qualities and confirms the confidence that countries, that
are already users of the Mirage 2000, have in our company”, said Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation.

Dassault Aviation, its partners Thales and Safran, and the 500
companies associated with the Rafale programme, are delighted at the
announcement of this new contract, constituting further proof of their
competitiveness and their industrial and technological know-how.
------------------------

This is is the third Rafale order in 3 months for a total of 84 aircrafts.

India : 36 aircrafts (Announced on 2015/04/10 ; contract still to be signed)

Qatar : 24 aircrafts (Announced on 2015/04/30 ; contract to be signed on 2015/05/04)

Eric Trappier, CEO of Dassault Aviation, indicated today that Egypt and Qatar jets can be delivered by just delaying the French orders. However the production will have to double (22 aicrafts / year) when India will have formaly signed ; a significant production increase that would generate thousands of new jobs in the French aerospace industry.

First guided meteor launch form a Rafale B
Also note the white satcom antenna behind the cockpit

As reported by Helen Chachaty, on the 28th of May, Rafale successfully fired its first guided Meteor from the Biscarosse firing range in the South west of France.

According to Air & Cosmos, the missile was attached to a rear station under belly.

Separation trials were already conducted in 2012, 2013 and 2014 and the missile is espected to enter into French Air Force and Navy service in 2018 when it will complement the current medium range Mica Missile.
Source : DGA

After several reports about the interest of Qatar in Rafale during the last years, the French presidency announces that François Hollande will go to Qatar on Monday so as to attend the signing of the contract for 24 Rafale (and 12 options).

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

According to IHS Jane's, Dassault might more than double the Rafale production rate in order to deliver the 36 aircrafts to the IAF within 3 years with a first delivery expected at the end of 2016.

"Industry sources familiar with the ongoing talks between the two governments told IHS Jane's
that Dassault is reported to have agreed to more than double its annual
Rafale building capacity from 11 to 24 aircraft. The company had slowed
down Rafale production rate to around 11 platforms per year as no new
orders were forthcoming.The French government is also believed to have persuaded its air
force to reduce its Rafale induction until the IAF contract is
fulfilled.Indian defence minister Manohar Parrikar told the Mail Today
newspaper on 16 April that the accounting process for the Rafales would
be completed within 2-3 months and deliveries would begin in 18 months.
"So roughly it [the contract] will take three years," he said."

Friday, April 10, 2015

Paris, April 10th 2015
During the first day of his Visit in France, India Prime Minister Narenda Modi officialy announced that India will buy 36 Rafale "ready to fly":

“Keeping in mind critical operational necessity of fighter jets in
India, I have talked to him [F. Hollande] and requested for 36 Rafale jets
in fly-away condition as quickly as possible under
government-to-government deal”

This new agreement between France and India is therefore a big change from the original MMRCA deal : 126 jets among which only 18 were to be built in France. Some sources indicate that this first batch of 36 Rafale would be, in fact, the option part of the MMRCA (which was about a possible order of 63 Rafale in addition to the 18+108 other airframes) but it may also be a completly separate deal.

Apparently, this new contract will not replace the project to build a Rafale assembly line in India but it will allow a quick delivery of a big first batch of jets to the Indian Air Force which can't wait anymore to replace some of its older Mig-21 and Mig-27.
Prime Minister Modi told that the exact terms (price and delivery schedule) of this new contract are still to be discussed by the two parties but according to his official announcement this morning, he wants the jets as quickly as possible.

This is a very good news for Dassault Aviation and its workforce in France. When this new order will be signed, Dassault will have an order book of 60 Rafale for the export market only (24 for Egypt + 36 for India) and will most probably have to increase (double ?) the production rate of the Rafale assembly line which is currently one aircraft per month.